Vernon Hankins was killed Thursday when he became trapped under the root of this tree he was clearing outside his Nejecho Drive home in Brick Township. / Thoms P. Costello/Staff Photographer

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Vernon Hankins was killed Thursday when he became trapped under the root of this tree he was clearing outside his Nejecho Drive home in Brick Township. / Thoms P. Costello/Staff Photographer

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BRICK — A 61-year-old township man died after a tree, which had been uprooted by superstorm Sandy, fell on him as he tried to remove it Thanksgiving morning, police said.

Vernon Hankins was cutting down a tree on Nejecho Drive, which was left with a large hole at its base after superstorm Sandy tore through the Shore region nearly a month ago. Apparently Hankins went into the hole and started cutting the tree’s exposed roots. This caused the tree to shift its weight and fall on Hankins, who became trapped with only his head and shoulders visible, Sgt. Keith Reinhard said in a statement.

Police were called to the scene just before 11 a.m. They found numerous neighbors using shovels in an attempt to free Hankins, Reinhard said.

Firefighters also responded to the scene and used their equipment to pull the tree off of Hankins, who was pulled from the hole shortly before 11:15 a.m., Reinhard said.

Police and medics immediately began life-saving efforts on Hankins. He was transported to Ocean Medican Center in the township, where he later died from his injuries, Reinhard said.